Macitentan

Endothelin (ET)-1 and its receptors (ET_A and ET_B) mediate a variety of effects such as vasoconstriction, fibrosis, proliferation, hypertrophy, and inflammation. In disease conditions such as PAH, the local ET system is upregulated and is involved in vascular hypertrophy and in organ damage.

Macitentan is an orally active potent endothelin receptor antagonist, active on both ET_A and ET_B receptors and approximately 100-fold more selective for ET_A as compared to ET_B in vitro. Macitentan displays high affinity and sustained occupancy of the ET receptors in human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. This prevents endothelin-mediated activation of second messenger systems that result in vasoconstriction and smooth muscle cell proliferation.

The pharmacokinetics of macitentan and its active metabolite have mainly been documented in healthy subjects. Exposure to macitentan in patients with PAH was approximately 1.2-fold greater than in healthy subjects. The exposure to the active metabolite in patients, which is approximately 5-fold less potent than macitentan, was approximately 1.3-fold higher than in healthy subjects. The pharmacokinetics of macitentan in PAH patients were not influenced by the severity of the disease.

After repeated administration, the pharmacokinetics of macitentan are dose-proportional up to and including 30 mg.

Absorption

Maximum plasma concentrations of macitentan are achieved about 8 hours after administration. Thereafter, plasma concentrations of macitentan and its active metabolite decrease slowly, with an apparent elimination half-life of approximately 16 hours and 48 hours, respectively.

In healthy subjects, the exposure to macitentan and its active metabolite is unchanged in the presence of food and, therefore, macitentan may be taken with or without food.

Distribution

Macitentan and its active metabolite are highly bound to plasma proteins (>99%), primarily to albumin and to a lesser extent to alpha1-acid glycoprotein. Macitentan and its active metabolite ACT-132577 are well distributed into tissues as indicated by an apparent volume of distribution (Vss/F) of approximately 50 L and 40 L for macitentan and ACT-132577, respectively.

Biotransformation

Macitentan has four primary metabolic pathways. Oxidative depropylation of the sulfamide yields a pharmacologically active metabolite. This reaction is dependent on the cytochrome P450 system, mainly CYP3A4 (approximately 99%) with minor contributions of CYP2C8, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19. The active metabolite circulates in human plasma and may contribute to the pharmacological effect. Other metabolic pathways yield products without pharmacological activity. Several members of the CYP2C family, namely CYP2C8, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, as well as CYP3A4, are involved in the formation of these metabolites.

Elimination

Macitentan is only excreted after extensive metabolism. The major excretion route is via urine, accounting for about 50% of the dose.

Special populations

There is no clinically relevant effect of age, sex or ethnic origin on the pharmacokinetics of macitentan and its active metabolite.

Renal impairment

Exposure to macitentan and its active metabolite was increased by 1.3- and 1.6-fold, respectively, in patients with severe renal impairment. This increase is not considered clinically relevant.

Hepatic impairment

Exposure to macitentan was decreased by 21%, 34%, and 6% and, for the active metabolite by 20%, 25%, and 25% in subjects with mild, moderate or severe hepatic impairment, respectively. This decrease is not considered clinically relevant.

In dogs, macitentan decreased blood pressure at exposures similar to the therapeutic human exposure. Intimal thickening of coronary arteries was observed at 17-fold the human exposure after 4 to 39 weeks of treatment. Due to the species-specific sensitivity and the safety margin, this finding is considered not relevant for humans.

Increased liver weight and hepatocellular hypertrophy were observed in mice, rats and dogs after treatment with macitentan. These changes were largely reversible and considered non-adverse adaptations of the liver to increased metabolic demand.

Macitentan induced minimal to slight mucosal hyperplasia and inflammatory infiltration in the submucosa of the nasal cavity in the mouse carcinogenicity study at all doses. No nasal cavity findings were noted in the 3-month mouse toxicity study or in rat and dog studies.

Macitentan was not genotoxic in a standard battery of in vitro and in vivo assays. Macitentan was not phototoxic in vivo after single dose at exposures of up to 24-fold the human exposure. Carcinogenicity studies of 2 years' duration did not reveal a carcinogenic potential at exposures 18-fold and 116-fold the human exposure in rats and mice, respectively.

Testicular tubular dilatation was observed in chronic toxicity studies with male rats and dogs with safety margins of 11.6 and 5.8, respectively. Tubular dilatation was fully reversible. After 2 years of treatment, testicular tubular atrophy was seen in rats at 4-fold the human exposure. Hypospermatogenesis was observed in the life-long carcinogenicity study in rats and in the repeat-dose toxicity studies in dogs at exposures that provide safety margins of 9.7 in rats and 23 in dogs. The safety margins for fertility were 18 for male and 44 for female rats. No testicular findings were noted in mice after treatment up to 2 years. The effect of macitentan on human male fertility is not known.

Macitentan was teratogenic in rabbits and rats at all doses tested. In both species there were cardiovascular and mandibular arch fusion abnormalities.

Administration of macitentan to female rats from late pregnancy through lactation at maternal exposures 5-fold the human exposure, caused reduced pup survival and impairment of the reproductive capability of the offspring, which was exposed to macitentan during late intrauterine life and via the milk during the suckling period.

Treatment of juvenile rats from postnatal Day 4 to Day 114 caused reduced body weight gain leading to secondary effects on development (slight delay of descensus testis, reversible reduction of long-bone length, prolonged estrous cycle). Slightly increased pre- and post-implantation loss, decreased mean number of pups, and decreased testis and epididymis weights, were observed at exposures 7-fold the human exposure. Testicular tubular atrophy, and minimal effects on reproductive variables and sperm morphology were recorded at exposures 3.8-fold the human exposure.